KARACHI: Lahore Qalandars` hopes of making the playoff of HBL Pakistan Super League 6 in Abu Dhabi almost vanished on Friday af ter they suffered a crushing 80-run defeat against a rampant Multan Sultans at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
Multan, on the other hand, just couldn`t do anything wrong on a balmy night to seal their place in the playoffs after setting L ahore a tricky 179-run target. They needed only 15.1 overs to blow away their harried opponent sofor just 89.
Shahnawaz Dhani led the demolition job with startling analysis of four wickets for just five runs in 3.1 overs, winning the Player of the Match award.
The 22-year-old righ tarmer from Larkana became the leading wicket-taker in this tournament with 17 scalps. Fellow seamer Imran Khan was alsoon song, taking three for 24 and pushing his team into second place behind runaway leaders Islamabad United.
While Peshawar Zalmi are also through to the next phase, Lahore now await the outcome of holders Karachi Kings` match against Quetta Gladiators on Saturday to find out whether they are in or out of the competition.
Always notorious in the run chase, the wheels quickly came of f Lahore`s caravan when wickets began to tumble in clusters. Multan`s catching was outstanding as they took several brilliant takes, including a sliding effort by Imran Tahir to see off the dangerous James Faulkner, who was the top-scorer with an 11-ball 22.
Captain Mohammad Rizwan grabbed two acrobatic catches on the run to remove Mohammad H afeez and Rashid Khan. Earlier in the evening, Multan rode on a scintillating 60-run knock from Sohaib Maqsood to collect 169-8 after being put in to bat.
They lost Shan Masood on the very first ball. But then Sohaib started confidently by making some cracking shots. He struck four sixes and three fours during his 40-ball innings.
Despite being 60-3 in the eighth over, Multan rallied through a partnership of 63 from 42 deliveries between Shoaib and Rilee Rossouw.
Just when it seemed that Multan would pie up a big score, Lahore struck at the right time to get rid of the left-handed Rossouw (29 off 24balls, five boundaries) through brilliant umpiring by Aleem Dar, who heard the ball being nicked to wicket-keeper Ben Dunk off Ahmed Daniyal.
Rossouw thought otherwise and sought review but to no avail as TV official Asif Yaqoob vindicated Aleem`s decision. Multan lost their way at that point as five wickets fell for the addition of 18 runs in 24 balls. But Sohail Tanvir, the former Pakistan all-rounder, then gave his side something to bowl at by taking 24 runs off a shell shocked Haris. He hammered two sixes in his priceless nine-ball cameo of 26.
